In a city as young and growing as quickly as Phoenix, vintage dive bars that fly under the radar are tough to come by, the city flush with more upscale, fresher options. Wanderin is a true neighborhood hidden gem, an East Phoenix staple since 1972 under an epic, red sign. The Phoenix dive bar’s signature feature might be its open time of 6 AM, a rarity especially when considering that the bar doesn’t close until 2 AM, leaving only a scarce few hours when Wanderin isn’t serving drinks. Luckily, for that few hour gap, Wanderin also functions as a package liquor store, allowing for a full day’s drinking with a little planning.

The space inside is almost cavernous, spread across two large rooms, one with a handful of tables and a projection screen, the other with a pair of pool tables and the main bar. Wood paneling, tile flooring, taxidermy, even an aquarium, the dive bar boxes are all checked here, including the occasional karaoke night. Most mentions of Wanderin come with a shout out for a favorite bartender (Joyce gets a lot of love), demonstrating the link here between the Phoenix dive bar and its regulars.